Mental Toughness

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

The new coach of a nearby sports team keeps preaching “mental toughness” to his players.  How they need to be resilient when things get tough and they run into obstacles on and off the field.

God also asks us to be tough minded.  2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Instead of the words “sound mind,” one translation says “sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].”

Let me say upfront that I can be a chief offender in this area.  I can lack self-control when it comes to my personal life.  I can be easily swayed by temptation or resort to fear and discouragement when challenges come my way.

But God desires us to have self-control, which is the ability to choose God’s path even in the face of strong opposition.  The ability to control one’s self when temptations come.  To exercise Godly wisdom in the midst of chaos.  To remain calm while being battered by the storms of life.

The key to unlock this truth is an understanding that God has already given us mental toughness.  It is not something we have to manufacture.  God has already equipped us with a sound mind.

It’s not an option, nor do we have any excuses is we choose to live an undisciplined life physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

We can’t use the excuse “it’s too tough.”  God has poured into us all the toughness we will ever need.  We just need to tap into what he has already made available to us.

For Christ followers, mental toughness should be a way of life.